Box



Feb 13, 1934. c. H. eoonfiow BOX Filed 'NOV. 3, 1930 2 sheets-sheet 2w markafiGoqdnow,

Patented Feb.13, 1934 PATENT OFFICE.

BOX

Charles H. Goodnow, Chicago, 111., assignor to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application November 3, 1930. Serial No. 492,889 BCIaims. (Cl. 229-31) My invention relates to boxes of paper board or like material for holding suits of clothes or other articles.

Boxes of this character, being large, are flimsy unless constructed of heavy material. They are still more flimsy when the corner pieces are severed from the endwalls and tucked into slits to serve as fasteners for securing the sides and ends together. When the corner pieces are formed into integral gussets the, box corners are stiffened when the parts are brought together to form the box. I have found that if the side or end walls, or both, are made to slope inward toward each other the box is materially stiffened and will with- 5 stand greater crushing pressure than a box made of the same material but constructed with vertical walls. With the inwardly sloping walls connected by integral gussets, it is diflicult to fold the sides flat for shipment because of the strain tending to bulge the gussets, which tendency is resisted by the gussets if they are made stiff, as in the case of gussets uniting the sides and ends of boxes having vertical walls.

One object of my invention is to construct a box that will withstand greater crushing pressure than boxes of the ordinary construction.

Another object is to construct a box to which the cover may be more easily applied and removed. With the usual construction of box and cover, it is diflicult to fit the cover over the box and equally difiicult to remove the cover.

Another object of my invention is to construct a box with at least two inwardly sloping opposite walls. 7

Another object is to unite the end and side walls of such a box with gussets.

Still another object is to make provision for the tendency of the gussets to bulge when the blanks are folded for shipment.

With these objects in view, my invention corrsists in the construction and arrangement defined in thefollowing specification and claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a transverse section showing one corner and part of one end of my improved box with the cover in place;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the box only, showing the opposite corner and part of the end with the end flap unfolded; I

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing both box and cover;

. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one corner of the box seen from the inside;

Fig. 5 is a plan of the piece from which the 65 box is made, ready to be folded and stapled;

- Figs. 6 to 8 are views similar to Figs. 1 to 3, showing amodified form of the box, and

Fig. 9 is a plan of the blank from which the modification is made.

Similar characters refer to like. parts in all the figures.

Referring to Fig. 5, the blank is cut and creased or otherwise made flexible along the dotted lines o and the folding line 10 as shown. The section of the blank which constitutes the bottom of the box is designated by the character 1. This section is connected to the side sections 2-along the scored lines 14, or lines made flexible in any suitable manner. Section 1 is connected to end sections 3 along the flexible lines 13, and end sections 3 are connected toend sections 4 along the flexible lines 12. The gussets consist of the usual members 5 and another member having two parts, 6a and 6b, having folding line 10 between them. A folding line 8 connects the two members of the gusset section. The gusset member 6a, 6b is cut away along the lines 7a, 7b, leaving an extension 15 on the member 5.

In the flgures which show the parts brought together and united to form a box, the same reference letters are used to designate the parts as in the figures shown in the blank.

'In making up a box from the prepared blank,

the sides are folded up into position along the lines l1, l4 and the ends along the lines 9, 13.- At the same time the gussets fold inward along the lines 8 and take the position shown in Fig. i. a The end flaps 4 are then folded down into the position shown in Fig. 1 and are secured by the staple 16. The end flaps when thus secured hold the gussets, and with them the sides 2, in position. The staples 16 do not hold the ends of the flaps rigidly, and these may be pulled out from the ends suiflciently to permit the sides and gusset members 6a, 6b to fold down flat upon the bottom, and the ends may be folded back in the plane of the bottom at the same time, so that the folded box is still in condition for shipment-after the staples have been secured in place.

when it is desired to construct the box again, the sides and ends will be raised and the ends of the flaps can be snapped over the infolded gussets to hold them and the sides in positionas before. Of course, the extensions 15 may be omitted if desired and the ends of the flaps will still serve to hold the gussets in position, as shown in Fig. 4.

The unfolded boxes or blanks are prepared for shipment by folding the sides along the lines.

' the stiffness of this member.-

11. Since lines 11 and 14 are out of alignment, thesev parts will not fold down'flat upon the bottom and end pieces, but unless the gusset member 6a, 6b bulges or breaks, the sides will be held slightly separated from the bottom by Therefore I provide a'folding line 10 connecting these members, which permits the necessary bulging of the gusset member without cracking or breaking any of the parts of the box.

The cover 17 is formed in substantially the same manner as the box itself, its sides and ends sloping, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

My invention is not 'limited to suit boxes. Holding clothes is only one of the multitude of uses which may be made of the boxes. My improvement is applicable to any box of paper board or the like.

- I do not confine myself to the exact structure of the parts as described or to the specific means for rendering the gusset members 6a, 6b flexible. Any method may be employed for making the gussets or any parts thereof flexible, to permit bulging when the sides are folded flat upon the bottom.

In the modification shown on Sheet 2 of the drawings, the sides alone are tapered, the ends only being inclined. It is therefore unnecessary in this form to provide for bulging of the gussets. Otherwise the structure is identical with that shown on Sheet 1 of the drawings, and the same characters designate the corresponding parts of the box, with the exception of the-gusset mem-' bers next to the sides of the box, which are designated by the character 6'.

Since the cover is constructed in the same manner as the box, it is obvious that it may be used as a box, with or without a cover. Therefore, where I claim the structure as a box in the claims, I use the term to cover either the box member or the cover member.

- What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz 1. A suit box having gussets connected to its sides and ends, the lines connecting the gussets and ends being out of line with the lines connecting the sides and bottom, and the gusset members adjacent the sides each having a flexible folding line to assist bulging when the sides are folded inwardly to lie against the bottom.

2. A suit box having gussets connected to its sides and ends, the lines connecting the gussets and ends converging upward, the lines connecting the gussets and sides converging upward, and the gusset members adjacent the sides each having a flexible folding line to assist bulging when the sides are folded inwardly to lie against the bottom.

3. A collapsible box comprising abottom, side and end walls, gussets connecting the endsof said side walls to the ends of the adjacent end walls and adapted to be folded into said box to lie against said end walls, said gussets being con- 14, and with them the gussets 5 along the linesnected to said end walls by lines'converging outwardly of said end walls and being connected to said side walls by lines converging outwardly of said side walls, whereby when said box is set up saidside and end walls will be inclined inwardly toward each other, and locking flaps on said end walls adapted to be folded inwardly to engage said gussets and hold the box in set up position.

4. A collapsible box comprising a bottom, side and end walls, gussets connecting the ends of said side walls to the ends of the adjacent end walls and adapted to be folded into said box to' lie against said end walls, said gussets being connected to both their respective end and side walls by lines converging outwardly with respect to said walls, said side walls adapted to be folded inwardly to lie against said bottom when the box is in collapsed condition, means for causing said gussets to lie flat against their respective end walls when said side walls are folded inwardly, said means comprising flexible fold lines in said gussets, said end and side walls adapted to be inclined inwardly toward each other when raised to their respective upright positions, and locking means on said end walls adapted to engage said gussets and hold said box in set up condition.

5. A collapsible box comprising interfltting inner and outer sections each including a main body portion carrying an end wall and two side walls, gussets connecting said end wall on each section to the ends of the adjacent sidewalls, said gussets being adapted to be folded into said box to lie against said end walls, locking flaps on said end walls adapted to be folded inwardly to engage said gussets and hold them againstv their respective end walls, the angle of the lines defining the connection between the gussets and their'respective end and side walls being greater than a right angle, whereby when said sections are set up in interfitting relation said side walls will be inclined inwardly so that the edges of the side walls on said inner section will be disposed adjacent the inner face of the outer main body portion along lines spaced inwardly from the respective side edges of said outer body portion, and the inner edge surfaces of the side walls on said outer body portion will contact the outer surface of said side walls on said inner section adjacent their point of juncture with the inner main body portion.

6. A collapsible box comprising a bottom, side and end walls, gussets connecting the ends of said side walls to the ends of the adjacent end walls and adapted to be folded into said box to lie against said end walls, said gussets being connected to said side walls by lines converging out-- wardly of said side walls, whereby when-the box is set up, the end walls will be inclined inwardly toward each other, and locking flaps on said end walls adapted to be folded inwardly to engage said gussets and hold the box in set-up position.

CHARLES H. GOODNOW. 

